Samuel Beckett (1906-1989) was renowned for his writing which often had a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human existence; he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969. "Nohow On" is a collection of three prose pieces comprising Company, Ill Seen Ill Said, and Worstword Ho.

The square off-white aquatints by modern artist Robert Ryman perfectly compliment this work by Irish avant-garde writer Samuel Beckett whose later work was at its most minimalist and biting. The first line, "A voice comes to one in the dark. Imagine." puts the two artists in direct communication: Ryman's light filled plates carving into the obscure dark places drawn by Beckett - an absolute masterpiece in both form and substance.

___DESCRIPTION: Bound by Garthegaat Bindery in full black Nigerian oasis goatskin, lettered in gilt to upper board and backstrip, white endpapers, six original aquatint etchings with original tissue guards, binder's ticket on the rear pastedown ("Hand-sewn and Bound by Carol Joyce"); typeset in English Monotype Bodoni at Golgonooza Letterfoundry with new descending characters from punches cut by Daniel Carr, the display type is Bauer Bodoni, paper made at Cartiere Enrico Magnani, etchings printed on Arches at Wingate Studio and Renaissance Press, quarto size (10.75" by 7.5"), [i-iv] [1-4] 5-128 [4] pp., limited edition, this number 351 of 550 copies, signed by Samuel Beckett and Robert Ryman. LEC Monthly Letter loosely laid in. Housed in a black cloth fall-down-back box with grey suede lining and leather gilt-stamped label inset to backstrip.

___CONDITION: An absolutely flawless copy, breathtaking; the leather binding smooth and supple, the corners straight and unrubbed, a square, tight text block with solid hinges, and free of prior owner markings; a very fine copy. The Monthly Letter also fine, clean and free of wear, with only original folds; the box fine overall, strong and free of wear, with perhaps a touch of sunning to the spine.